Building and owning a shared operational platform

Context and discovery

Local reports used different definitions and calculation logic, leaving Trading discussions focused on whose figures to trust. The existing platform could not calculate complex basket values and its supplier released new features only every six months. After seeing an initial demonstration, the Retail Director asked for a solution available down to individual advisers.

I spent six months understanding the new owner’s processes and which teams to engage. Three days with the technology data team helped translate my requirements into a possible solution using available systems. Further workshops in head office and stores established the need for accurate, familiar KPI dashboards.

I also investigated the wider EE roadmap and projects and development already underway, because these affected data extraction and delivery dependencies. The technology data team helped organise supplier due diligence and involved other teams to whitelist URLs for store access.

Appraisal and phased delivery

With technology colleagues, I assessed Qlik Sense, Tableau and Oracle. I recommended Oracle using an existing enterprise-wide licence. Access could be provided for approximately 5,500 users without extra per-user licence charges; this describes provision, not active usage.

The proof of concept demonstrated Oracle with EWL on a hosted server, a KPI report, store access to BT systems through a whitelisted URL and data movement from BT to EE and back. Stage one delivered transaction reporting and validation. Stage two added basket value.

I developed the business case and secured formal funding with PMO. A technical project manager coordinated technical execution, supplier activity, infrastructure procurement and developer delivery. I owned the business concept, required capabilities and priorities.

Funding and financial model

Stage one cost £250,000 and stage two £450,000, both within their approved budgets. Removing the legacy platform eliminated £120,000 in annual operating costs. The replacement’s annual running cost, including development, was £180,000 for the first five years: a net increase of approximately £60,000 a year.

The Finance-approved model projected £5m in additional commercial value over five years through better visibility of product and basket value. Separately, Oracle avoided approximately £495,000 in annual Qlik user licences at the proposed scale. That comparison informed supplier selection but was excluded from the approved financial model.

Ownership and collaboration after launch

As platform owner, I owned all reports, commissions extracts and month-end reconciliation. An offshore development team supported ongoing development within my £180,000 budget. I worked with Trading to refine and specify reports and KPI changes, designing the workflows and business logic myself.

With the Head of Trading, I established common KPI definitions and embedded them in platform calculations. Monthly sessions with Trading and field leadership agreed priorities and made decisions to defer or decline requests transparent. I also represented the platform in the related user-login programme and led decommissioning of the previous platform.

Outcome

Over approximately two and a half years, the work progressed from discovery to delivery and expansion. The platform provided 175 standardised KPIs, with access provision for approximately 5,500 retail and support users across roughly 450 stores and £3.2bn annual turnover. It supported commissions, transaction validation, basket value and customer metrics including NPS, and remained in use for approximately seven years.

Commercial value growth subsequently exceeded the £5m five-year forecast. Better visibility through the platform supported this alongside other commercial activity; the total is not attributed solely to the platform.